April 27, 2018

Make it a Bob Ross Day

TGIF friends, this mama is ready for a night out on the town. So, did anyone try to get in some "me time" even if only for 20 minutes this week? I did a few things for myself actually. I went and saw the movie "I feel Pretty" with Gwen, ps: you all need to go see it. We both really loved it! Anyway, I also took an hour on Tuesday and got my brows waxed and tinted, then I went and got a spray tan. I know, who am I? It was my first one in two years. Very unlike me to do more then one thing for myself in a week, but it just kind of worked out that way. Ok, back to today's post. If you have been following me over on IG, then you know I had myself a little Bob Ross day a few weeks back. I scheduled in 60 uninterrupted minutes on a Tuesday, and held myself accountable for taking that "me time" break. Here's the thing, other then a few paint & drink classes over the years, I haven't painted a picture because I just plain wanted to in over ten years!

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I'm currently reading "Big Magic" and she touches on the idea of trying things you used to love. Forget about what you are good or bad at. Forget about what we decided we could no longer pursue because that wasn't what we were going to be one day. So what is it for you? For me it was actually a lot of things! Growing up, I always loved all things art and music. I loved making up dance routines and preforming to anyone who would watch. I played the saxophone for four years and have a few 1st in state metals, thank you very much! ;) I took ceramics all four years in high school as well as jewelry making, and sculpture class. When I found myself at a college that did not have a ceramics program, I was a bit lost so I tried other arts. I took photography, art history, drawing (charcoals, color pencils, pastels, etc.), and then painting. I really loved painting. I loved photography too, but painting was good vibes. It truly made me happy to get assignments and then just have fun with it. After all, art is subjective and there really is no wrong.

I will never forget the first time I heard about Bob Ross. In class we had an assignment to replicate one of his paintings and they were all so beautiful to me. He made it look so effortless and fun which drew me to him and his work. For those of you who don't know who Bob Ross is, you guys, you need to watch at least one of his painting shows on Netflix. He had a painting television show for 11 years in the 80's and 90's. He is literally one of my spirit animals. Happy trees and a relaxing state of mind are what he is all about, plus he is such an amazing painter. He uses big brushes (like ones for painting furniture and walls) and paints beautiful landscapes flawlessly, while telling you there are no mistakes in painting and totally coaching you through the process. Watching an episode of his show on Netflix is defiantly like taking a painting class...wine optional.

Let's learn from my mistakes. I did this on a whim and was not at all prepared. I would recommend reading the following if you plan to "make it a Bob Ross Day" at your house. ;)

How you make it a Bob Ross Day:

- Choose which painting you plan to do the night before. With some of his paintings, you need to paint parts of the canvas black and have that dry ahead of time. You will also need to know what colors are needed for the painting you have chosen. He lists these during the first few minutes of the episode. I just had basic acrylic paint colors, so I did a good amount of google searches to see what he was using and did my best to recreate the colors.

-If time permits watch the episode once first before painting it. The episodes are less then 30 minutes and it will take you longer then it takes him. I did not do this and pressed pause and rewind about 50 times. It also took me almost 2 hours because no one told me this. (You're welcome future Bob Ross day friends...including myself! I am so doing this again, this time more prepared.)

- Lay down a tarp or towel to protect your carpet.

- Get a roll of paper towels ready! ;) And a few paper plates for mixing colors on. (Easy cleanup!) I went through more of these then I had planned, and if you stop to get more, your paint drys. Since Bob Ross is completing his painting in under 30 minutes, his canvas is always wet. If you step away a lot, you loose time on paint movement and blending.

- Leave your phone over there on the table you can't reach. You do you. Have fun and just paint because this is what you are choosing to do with your time!

So I totally want to go back in and redo the mountains. Honestly, I'll probably end up painting over it and doing another, but it was just fun to actually follow through with an old friend. I plan to go back and try out other hobbies that made me happy when I was younger as well, because, why not? What did you do when you were younger for fun (hobby or sport)? Have you tried to go back and do it again now? Do you still love it?

Ok, I need to go a little off topic for a minute if you don't mind. Can we just talk about the first photo in this post? It makes me so happy, but it reminds me that my little buddy Snoop the cat is no longer here with us. So, we did it, my family made it through another week without him and I think he would be proud of all of us. We miss him so much, but we are learning to live without him. The fact that I'm looking at his photo and crying he wouldn't have loved, but I cry less and less each day and in time I will look back at this post and smile at one of our many days hanging out together. This little furry man was by my side for twenty years, it's a loss like nothing I've ever experienced before, but it's a part of life and part of being a furry parent.